tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219980582024-03-23T12:54:04.856-05:00Multiverse PoetTalk about all things poetry-related, in a multiverse way.Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-29530151255908868212015-04-16T19:05:00.000-05:002015-04-16T19:05:25.613-05:00AWP 2015 Debrief, Part 1<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I attended</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> several panels on publication, a panel on the sonnet (in case you don't know, my graduate lecture was about the modern sonnet), a panel on revision, another on translation and a very interesting panel on balancing work for an arts organization with the creative life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Panels on publication were among the best-attended, as if there were a secret system for getting one's work accepted. There isn't. </span>These panels reinforced common sense: Treat your work and the editors with respect and complete professionalism. Know the publications to which you send your work, which means <em>read</em> or <em>subscribe </em>to those publications. Send only your best,<em> completed</em> work. If you are still revising, you're sending it out too soon. Do not send anything that is cliché or slick. Do not make the assumption "big-named" journals are the best. Do send work with a strong voice that begs the reader to keep reading and re-reading. Learn how to submit online. Online submissions are far more the norm than postal submissions.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Several editors reported receiving submissions anywhere from four to five figures, which can lead to a hefty backlog. Many of these publications report acceptances at a rate less than .50 of 1%. Keep these figures in mind when you send your work to the most "popular" publications. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I'll discuss some of the other panels and the book fair in upcoming posts.</span><br />
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Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-90252600080510468612015-03-10T15:46:00.001-05:002015-03-10T15:46:11.030-05:00Reading in Pittsford Thursday<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am pleased to be reading from my chapbook <em>Language You Refuse to Learn </em>(Bright Hill Press, 2014) and new work along with H.B. Dill who will be reading from his recently published collection <em>Supernal Andantes </em>(Lulu, 2015). The reading is Thursday, March 12 at Barnes & Noble, Pittsford. We will begin at 7:00 p. m. An open mic will follow. This reading is a part of the Just Poets Reading Series and Open Mic. Anita Augesen will host. I hope to see you there! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Language-Refuse-Learn-Claudia-Stanek/dp/1892471779/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426018405&sr=1-1&keywords=Language+You+Refuse+to+Learn" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Language-Refuse-Learn-Claudia-Stanek/dp/1892471779/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426018405&sr=1-1&keywords=Language+You+Refuse+to+Learn</a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.comPittsford, NY 14534, USA43.0906186 -77.51499690000002843.0790226 -77.535166900000021 43.102214599999996 -77.494826900000035tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-36619558600375639782015-02-26T14:53:00.000-05:002015-02-26T14:53:55.835-05:00Top 5 Most Memorable Poetry Books<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I started a Poetry Readers' Group in February 2004. There were 8 of us at then; 3 of the originals remain and three others sit at the table now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Each month, a member selects a book which we will all read and discuss over a long afternoon lunch. We've read everything from selected poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins to this month's selection, <em>Parts of Speech</em> by Kyle Schlesinger. Needless to say, there have been some very intense dialogues and there is rarely a book of poetry that is either universally liked or disliked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thinking about the discussion we will have on Schlesinger's book this month prompted me to consider which books of poetry I personally have found to be the most memorable over the years. Most of these books were not necessarily Readers' Group selections though one is, <em>Late Psalm</em> by Betsy Sholl. This happened to be universally liked by the group members at the time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As I pondered other books, I decided to compile my list based on certain factors: these books aren't in the academic "canon." Reading them forever changed how I approach as well as write poetry. They come to mind immediately when someone asks what my favorite book of poetry is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In no particular order, here they are:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Late Psalm</em> by Betsy Sholl</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Morning in the Burned House</em> by Margaret Atwood</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Song</em> by Brigit Pegeen Kelly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Late Wife</em> by Claudia Emerson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>The Selected Poems of Max Jacob </em>(in translation)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">From these come some of my favorite poems: "Half-Hanged Mary" by Atwood, "Song" by Kelly and "Hell Has Gradations" by Jacobs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Half-Hanged Mary" takes 10 minutes to read. I know because I did a dramatic reading of it at Rochester Institute of Technology several years ago. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Song" is a poem I can no longer hear read nor read myself. To do so metaphorically scrapes the walls of the chambers of my heart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Hell Has Gradations" is prescient, an allegorical prose poem that saw the Holocaust coming. Jacobs, who converted to Catholicism from Judaism, died in a Nazi prison camp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you've not read these poems or the books in which they are found, I encourage you to seek them out and know that they may overwhelm you.</span><br />
Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-10197041082266608942014-09-29T09:59:00.000-05:002014-09-29T09:59:31.636-05:00Should you or shouldn't you submit to a journal where you've worked?<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here is an interesting note from Michael Nye, Managing Editor of the Missouri Review: <a href="http://www.missourireview.com/tmr-blog/2014/09/ethics-publishing-literary-journals/">http://www.missourireview.com/tmr-blog/2014/09/ethics-publishing-literary-journals/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">If you have worked on staff at a literary magazine, what is your opinion?</span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-74886270720437514282014-09-16T11:09:00.002-05:002014-09-16T11:09:58.695-05:00Language You Refuse to Learn Launch<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Despite the best efforts of bronchitis, I was able to travel to non-profit Bright Hill Press & Literary Center (<a href="http://www.brighthillpress.org/">www.brighthillpress.org</a>) for the official book launch of my chapbook <em>Language You Refuse to Learn</em> last week. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Bright Hill, which is situated on the outskirts of the Catskills, reminds me of Doctor Who's TARDIS. From the outside you see a lovely country house but inside is a lovely gallery space with a library of used books for sale and, beyond that, a new addition which houses private book collections donated to Bright Hill as well as a children's space.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Bertha Rogers, the driving force behind Bright Hill, was a welcoming host, most gracious in extending an invitation to my friend Lorrie and me to stay in the literary center's guest space where we could have spent days perusing all that the library has to offer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I am extremely grateful to my friends Lorrie, Kathy, Donna, and David Michael who made the trip from Rochester to Treadwell for the book launch and reading.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Future readings will be Thursday, October 2 at the DeWitt Community Library (7:00 pm) and Thursday, October 9 in the Golisano Gateway at St. John Fisher College, Pittsford, NY (7:30 pm). Many thanks to M.J. Iuppa for arranging this reading.</span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-36605805892289001412014-08-19T18:06:00.000-05:002014-08-19T18:06:49.521-05:00Interesting Poetry Stats<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here's a link to Jonathan Hobrasch's article on elite poetry prizes and those who have won them the most. </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-hobratsch/on-poetry-awards-figures-_b_5668826.html?utm_hp_ref=books&ir=Books"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-hobratsch/on-poetry-awards-figures-_b_5668826.html?utm_hp_ref=books&ir=Books</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Be sure to read the questions at the end of the article. Please post your comments!</span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-65168042884347524072014-07-30T15:51:00.000-05:002014-07-30T15:51:00.906-05:00What! Fall reading? It's still July!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Friday opens the 2014 Fall reading season, the most opportune time for poets to have their work considered for publication by the largest number of journals seeking unsolicited submissions. The floodgates at Submittable, Submission Manager, Tell It Slant as well as the inboxes on editors' desks and emails open beginning August 1 through September 15.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">What you can expect to see this fall: Sadly, there will be an increase in the number of publications requiring reading fees in order to consider your work. No, these are not contest fees. Despite what some journals like to call their fees, they are <em>money required for a journal's staff to read the work you submit to them</em>, hence "reading fees." Reading fees that journals charge range from $1 per submission (usually 3-5 poems) to $10 per submission. The former and latter are very rare; reading fees in the 2013-2014 reading period averaged $3 per submission. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">There will still be plenty of publications reading for free. Personally, as a poet, I am more inclined to support a journal without reading fees. But we need to be open to paying a journal for the privilege of reading our work. It stings. Poets rarely get paid when their work is accepted for publication. However, many journals are staffed by volunteers who believe in the value of literary pursuit and find fulfillment in publishing our work. I can much more easily accept not being paid for my work when I know the editors choosing to publish it have no monetary gain to do so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">What else? Expect an increase in online submissions with a corresponding decrease in postal submissions. This is not a new trend. Online submissions will continue to grow for the foreseeable future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Finally, is the migration of more publications to the internet from print. Cost is the greatest driver behind this movement. Migrating away from print is not a bad thing. Consider how many potential readers your work may reach on the internet when published by a quality online journal as opposed to the number of potential readers finding your work in print. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">What does this mean for Poetic Effect? Fall reading will be as busy as ever. Calendar slots will fill quickly. If you are interested in having submissions of your work prepared during fall reading, email me <a href="mailto:Claudia@poeticeffect.com">Claudia@poeticeffect.com</a> to reserve your place in the queue. Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis.</span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-79291541818718188692014-05-07T20:32:00.000-05:002014-05-07T20:32:11.839-05:00What does that rejection letter mean?<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You dread receiving that #10 envelope addressed to you with the label you stuck on it and sent with your poems to "Journal X." Or, it's that email you see in your inbox and cringe as you open it. The form rejection letter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Here's a link to an article decoding 4 rejection letter types you may see. <a href="http://lizkay.net/2014/05/03/advice-for-poets-what-it-means-when-a-journal-says-no-or-anything-other-than-yes/">http://lizkay.net/2014/05/03/advice-for-poets-what-it-means-when-a-journal-says-no-or-anything-other-than-yes/</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">By the way, I prefer the term "response" over the negative term "rejection." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Have you received an unusual response? Post a comment if you'd like to share.</span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-72462621863818334342013-11-05T18:03:00.000-05:002013-11-05T18:03:03.024-05:00A Must-Read Interview<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Fellow poet and Bennington alum, Celeste Guzman-Mendoza, is interviewed about her recently published poetry book, Beneath the Halo (Wings Press, 2013) at Letras Latinas <a href="http://latinopoetryreview.blogspot.com/2013/11/interview-questions-for-celeste-g.html">http://latinopoetryreview.blogspot.com/2013/11/interview-questions-for-celeste-g.html</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Celeste addresses the importance of language as well as the impact of violence and faith in our lives. </span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-59241047069159852832013-09-17T16:24:00.003-05:002013-09-17T16:24:23.812-05:00Publication and Reading<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The fall calendar has been rapidly filling with poetry readings, classes, and publications. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Here in Rochester, the second Fringe Festival begins this weekend. A group of poets, led by Wanda Schubmehl, will be reading the work generated from her latest project--a poetry chain gang. Participating poets responded to one poem from another participating poet. The poem generated was then be passed along to another poet. None of us (yes, I am a participant!) saw any other poem than the one given to each of us until the project was completed. The reading will be this Saturday, September 21 at Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY. We'll start at 4:00 pm, so arrive early for the best seat! This is a free reading. As a result of Wanda's efforts, FootHills Publishing will also produce a chapbook with all of our poems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Please head over to <em>Conte Online</em> where my poem "14th. St., Buffalo, NY" appears. I am grateful to the editors for including my work and for asking me to record the poem being read in my voice, something I have not previously done. Let me know what you think. <a href="http://www.conteonline.net/issue0901/">http://www.conteonline.net/issue0901/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-49759252562777698102013-09-10T14:22:00.003-05:002013-09-10T14:22:44.161-05:00News This Week<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There are several poetry readings this week featuring local poets. Tonight, Karla Linn Merrifield and Catherine Faurot (a fellow Bennington alum) will be reading at Writers & Books for the Genesee Reading Series, 7:30 pm.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Thursday, Just Poets will hold a reading from their annual anthology, <em>Le Mot Juste</em>, at the Pittsford Library (second floor) at 7:00 pm. An open mic will follow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Saturday, Patricia Roth Schwartz will be reading at Books, Etc. in Macedon at 2:00 pm. Pat has asked a few of her friends (I am among them) to read a couple of poems as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I'd also like to point you to a list of the top 25 writers of faith compiled by the editors of <em>Image</em>.<em> </em>Here's a link <a href="http://imagejournal.org/page/blog/the-iimagei-top-25-contemporary-writers-of-faith-list">http://imagejournal.org/page/blog/the-iimagei-top-25-contemporary-writers-of-faith-list</a>. Post a comment if you agree/disagree with their selections.</span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-88961654574544821502013-09-03T17:11:00.000-05:002013-09-03T17:11:59.656-05:00The Merits of Online Literary Journals<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As the fall 2013 reading period opens, I want to address the issue of online literary journals and the merits of having work published by them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The most obvious benefit is the size of the potential audience. While print publications are, for the most part, quite limited in their press runs, online publications have the possibility of readership limited only by the scope of the Web. This potentiality is heavily augmented by the reach of social media: Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, blogs, RSS feeds, etc., where the Word of the Web spreads more quickly than the word of mouth ever could.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Another important consideration is the development of relationships with other poets, publishers, and editors outside of your immediate environs that can lead to further publication opportunities, invitations to read, and invitations to attend and/or lead workshops. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Then there is the Google factor. When a reader comes upon your work online, that reader is able to search the Internet for more of your work, an expanded bio, and your general reputation within the larger community of poetry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Will your work be perceived as lesser in status by appearing online versus in print? The answer to that question differs with each reader. We all have that one friend or family member who refuses to enter the digital age but is that one person your target audience? Who is in your target audience? Could those individuals who might appreciate your work the most be the same people who spend their days connected to their technology simply because of its portability? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">A friend says to you, "Hey, I just read the most awesome conceptual poem." You ask, "So, can you lend me the mag?" She says, "No. But I can show it to you on my smart phone." That poem is available for the reading anywhere there's wireless, immediately.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">An often-heard argument against online lit mags is their quality compared to print. I find this argument to be less valid as time progresses and as the quality of successful lit mags increases with each publication cycle. What matters and is key, is the reputation of the publication, whether in print or online. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Arguably, print publication is still far more desired for the purposes of academia, but even there the gap is closing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Granted, online publication is never going to be the same as holding that perfect-bound journal in your hands. It is, however, the path of our words, at least until an electro-magnetic pulse shuts down everyone's electricity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I would be interested to read your feedback.</span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-86428262589855795172013-08-06T13:11:00.001-05:002013-08-06T13:14:29.788-05:00Literary Journal Reading Fees<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last week, I did something I hoped I would never do. I paid a reading fee to a literary journal for the submission of my work. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I have made my feelings about reading fees clear in the past and they have not changed. Why would I break with my own protocol? I had prepared the submission file and begun the process with the journal's online submission software and got to the point where payment appeared. I'll admit to being torn. My initial reaction was to close the window and move on. But, I had questions. Would the non-contest reading fee this journal charges in any way make a difference in how my submission fared? Could I expect a more timely response?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I wanted answers that would only satisfy me from personal experience. So, I paid the $3.00, knowing it probably would not make a difference in how my submission would be handled and I took comfort that I was at least monetarily supporting the journal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Just to reiterate my feelings about non-contest reading fees, I compare the trend to airline baggage fees. Once one airline started charging, others soon followed until just about every airline in existence now charges baggage fees. It is taking a bit longer to catch on in the publishing industry, but charging reading fees for non-contest submissions is undeniably a growing trend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">In theory, these reading fees should not be objectionable. Publishing poetry and other literary creative writing is not a money maker. Most journals exist from the desire of people who love quality literature and want to share that literature with the world. Noble. Admirable. We should be grateful for these people and the publications they produce, whether online or in print. I am grateful. Truly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">However, as a poet, I can tell you from personal experience that, for the most part, poetry does not pay monetarily. There is a bit of the sting of the pay-for-publication stigma, whether or not that sentiment is justified. Many wonderful poets can't afford reading fees; they have a difficult time just paying their bills. What are the implications of excluding these poets? Will there be a difference in the quality of the poetry published due to a smaller submission pool? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">As fall reading begins and new guidelines are being rolled out, I am monitoring the trend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">If you are an editor of a literary journal, please share your thoughts on this subject.</span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-14782627534256308562013-06-25T14:34:00.000-05:002013-07-02T12:46:09.767-05:00Web Site of Potential Interest to Writers<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Leslie Hanson emailed me recently about her blog article on
thesis and dissertation resources for writers. Topics covered include writing and research as well as writing centers. While her blog is mostly for graduate students, it might be worth your time to browse. </span><a href="http://onlinephdprogram.org/thesis-dissertation" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://onlinephdprogram.org/thesis-dissertation/">http://onlinephdprogram.org/thesis-dissertation</a></span><a href="http://onlinephdprogram.org/thesis-dissertation/"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null"></a><a href="http://onlinephdprogram.org/thesis-dissertation/"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null"></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://onlinephdprogram.org/thesis-dissertation/"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null"><a href="http://onlinephdprogram.org/thesis-dissertation/">/</a></a></span></a></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-110080852661075032013-04-08T15:56:00.001-05:002013-04-08T15:58:29.593-05:00Blogs You Should Be Reading<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There are two excellent blogs I would like to recommend to my writing friends and followers. The first is by St. John Fisher College's Writer-in-Residence, M. J. Iuppa. Her blog, <em>(A)stray: One Poet's Conversation</em>, is especially essential during this National Poetry Month. She is posting daily writing prompts and her prompts are well-known to kickstart the creative muse in us all <a href="http://mjiuppa.blogspot.com/">http://mjiuppa.blogspot.com/</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The second is by Tom Holmes, editor of Redactions: Poetry and Poetics and a long-time resident of the Rochester area now working on his Ph. D. in Mississippi. <em>The Line Break</em> features a good article on promoting your published collection of poems </span><br />
<a href="http://thelinebreak.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/promoting-your-recently-or-soon-to-be-released-collection-of-poems/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://thelinebreak.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/promoting-your-recently-or-soon-to-be-released-collection-of-poems/</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. He has also posted several of his book reviews worth reading.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Check them out. Follow them. Enhance your own writing experience. </span><br />
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<br />Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-6765789075626106782013-03-13T20:42:00.000-05:002013-03-13T20:42:11.195-05:00Reflection on AWP 2013Never having been to Boston, I hoped there would not be a repeat of the nor'easter that hit there in February. Thankfully, I chose Jet Blue over Airtran and was able to get into Boston before weather hit. Being a native of western New York, I quickly forget how non-WNYers do not have the expertise to cope with what I've come to call "cosmic snot," also known as mixed precipitation tending toward the slushy side. Fortunately, Boston provides sufficient covered walkways to keep pedestrian travel outdoors to a minimum, at least where the hotels and convention center are situated.<br />
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Now for the highlights. In addition to the expected what's-trending-in-publishing panels, I attended panels on applying for Fullbright fellowships and NEA grants, panels on current Polish poetry in translation, the necessity for Christian literary publishers, and a reading by contributors to an anthology encouraging young Latina women to go to college (one of the contributors is my fellow Bennington alum and friend, Celeste Guzman Mendoza). All were very informative, thought provoking, and even inspiring. <br />
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I was delighted to meet and converse with poet James Ragan at the Seamus Heaney-Derek Wolcott reading/conversation. As drawn to central Europe as I am, Ragan's experiences teaching in Poland and the Czech Republic were fascinating to hear, especially since I have high interest in returning to Poland.<br />
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The conference and bookfair is so much better now that the annual event is held in a convention center. There was much more time to browse and chat at the bookfair between panels rather than racing from one conference hotel to another.<br />
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Books I had to purchase: <em>Glory Bound</em> (WordFarm, 2012) by Jessie Van Eerden. I attended a reading sponsored by <em>Ruminate </em>journal and WordFram Press where Van Eerden read. Her prose is poetic; the fact that the book is published by a Christian imprint made the purchase all the more appealing. <em>Better Food for a Better World </em>(Slant Books, 2013)<em> </em>by Erin McGraw. Slant is a new press, a counterpart to <em>Image</em> journal. Anyone who knows me knows that I could not resist a novel with ice cream on the cover! I purchased only one book of poetry, <em>The World Shouldering I</em> by James Ragan. How can anyone converse with a fine poet and not get a signed book? <br />
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There were plenty of other titles of interest, many of them available for my (yes, I have one) Kindle Fire. I still enjoy the experience of reading a paper-made book. I have also come to appreciate the freedom (mostly from pain) of not carrying hundreds of pages of paper while traveling.<br />
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I think I'll pass on Seattle next year, though. I've got other plans. More about that another time.Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-64352111256365022482012-10-26T17:00:00.000-05:002012-10-26T17:00:17.158-05:00Reading with Harold Dill<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Harold Dill and I will be reading from our work Sunday, October 26 at Books, Etc. in Macedon, NY. Harold (a.k.a. H.B. Dill) and I are two of the founding members of Rochester's largest poetry organization, Just Poets. If you have not heard his work, I encourage you to make the drive out to Macedon. He has a distinctive poetic voice and does not read publicly often. I will also be reading work that will be new to many of you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Books, Etc. is a used book store and coffee shop located in the center of Macedon, east of Rochester. Click on the link for more information </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/114166196944096829572/about?gl=us&hl=en#114166196944096829572/about?gl=us&hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Books, Etc.</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hope to see you there!</span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-34655637612725463402012-09-26T16:05:00.000-05:002012-09-26T16:05:08.950-05:00What Editors Don't Want to Read in Your Poems<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Although this was written by the poetry editor of the Indiana Review, I have no doubt that others would agree. In fact, I agree and have had to turn away clients because of some of the reasons listed in the linked post. Please take a moment to read this good advice. <a href="http://indianareview.org/2012/09/26/five-marks-of-oft-rejected-poems/">http://indianareview.org/2012/09/26/five-marks-of-oft-rejected-poems/</a></span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-84307217188256620202012-09-12T19:11:00.000-05:002012-09-12T19:11:37.451-05:00More Winners Announced<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The winner of the 2012 American Poetry Journal Book Prize is Richard Garcia for his manuscript, <em>The Other Odyssey</em>. The expected release will be Summer/Fall 2013 by Dream Horse Press.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The winner of the Spring, 2012 Black River Chapbook Competition is Shane McCrae for his manuscript <em>Nonfiction.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Black Lawrence Press will also publish <em>No Girls No Telephones</em> by Rebecca Hazelton and Brittany Cavallaro as well as <em>This is not a sky</em> by Jessica Piazza.</span><br />
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Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-68576631711391809292012-09-06T14:08:00.001-05:002012-09-06T14:08:58.017-05:00Publishing News<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Two announcements about forthcoming books:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The American Poetry Journal has accepted the runner-up in the 2012 American Poetry Journal Book Prize, <em>Fire Road</em> by Barbara Siegel Carlson. Look for it next summer/fall by Dream Horse Press.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Seth Abramson's manuscript Thievery has been selected by Dara Wier for the </span><a href="http://www.uakron.edu/uapress/akron-poetry-prize/poetryprizewinner.dot" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">University of Akron 2012 Poetry Prize</span></a>.<br />
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Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-64745951890331491092012-08-09T16:15:00.000-05:002012-08-09T16:15:04.068-05:00Prize Winners for Two Book Contests Announced<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The winner of the Motherwell Prize awarded by Fence Books is <em>Inter Arma</em> by Laura Shufran. Her debut collection will be published in spring 2013. Visit Fence Books at </span><a href="http://www.fenceportal.org/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">www.fenceportal.org</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The winner of the ninth annual Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize is <em>Dear Hero</em> by Jason McCall. For a list of runners-up, visit </span><a href="http://www.marshhawkpress.org/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.marshhawkpress.org/</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-66020404683152323252012-07-17T19:40:00.000-05:002012-07-17T19:40:34.432-05:00Foothills Publishing Founder's Home Burns<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last weekend, the home of small press Foothills Publishing founder Michael Czarnecki burned to the ground while he was traveling with his family. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A poetry reading fundraiser will be held at Writers and Books on Sunday, July 22, starting a 2PM and going until around 5PM. If you would like to read as part of this fundraiser, please reply to Wanda Schubmehl ASAP at <a href="mailto:marleneschubmehl@yahoo.com">marleneschubmehl@yahoo.com</a>, and choose which hour is preferred - between 2-3, 3-4, or 4-5. We are suggesting a $10 donation from each reader and a small snack/drink to share (nothing which much be kept really hot or really cold.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you cannot attend the fundraiser, here are donation options as per Michael:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mail to : Michael Czarnecki, PO Box 68, Kanona, NY 14856 or Paypal. Go to <strong>Send Money</strong> and then put in email address: </span><a href="mailto:poetguy@foothillspublishing.com"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">poetguy@foothillspublishing.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <strong>Amount</strong>, click on <strong>Personal</strong> tab and then make sure <strong>Gift</strong> is checked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you'd like to get a sense of what Michael is all about, here's a link to a great article:</span><br />
<a href="http://willnixon.com/czarnecki"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://willnixon.com/czarnecki</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> or visit the Foothills web site at </span><a href="http://www.foothillspublishing.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">www.foothillspublishing.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. </span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-29369564000424145542012-06-13T15:46:00.000-05:002012-06-13T15:46:22.589-05:00Snowbound Chapbook Winner Announced<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Contest judge Christopher Buckley has chosen Deborah Flanigan's manuscript <em>Or, Gone</em> as the 2012 Snowbound Chapbook Contest winner for publication by Tupelo Press. Eighteen finalist and one runner-up, <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Linda Tomol Pennisi of Syracuse, New York,</span> were also named. Congratulations!</span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-24752144674797194232012-06-12T13:00:00.000-05:002012-06-12T13:00:30.589-05:00Omnidawn Announces Book Contest Winner<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">From Omnidawn Publishing: <em>Loom</em> by Sarah Gridley has been chosen by Carl Phillips for the 2011 Open Poetry Book Award. Five finalists were listed alphabetically: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><em><span style="color: black;">All the</span> <span style="color: black;">Good</span> <span style="color: black;">in the World Starts Now </span></em></span></span><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: black;">by Anne Cecelia Holmes</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><em>A Geography of Syntax </em></span><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: black;">by Jill Darling</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><em><span style="color: black;">Midwinter </span></em></span><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: black;">by</span> <span style="color: black;">Matt Reeck</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><em><span style="color: black;">Roadsides </span></em></span><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: black;">by</span> <span style="color: black;">Nik De Dominic</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><em><span style="color: black;">Thought That Nature </span></em></span><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: black;">by</span> <span style="color: black;">Trey Moody</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #001a81;"><span style="color: black;">Congratulations</span> <span style="color: black;">to all.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Claudia M. Stanekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929480258562840234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21998058.post-12526583359825472772012-06-05T14:35:00.000-05:002012-06-05T14:35:55.895-05:00Streetcar Poetry in PolandThe following post is from fellow poet Edyta Poskrobko whom I met in Poland in 2010. Edyta references ticket inspectors. I only encountered one in my 5 weeks in Poland. They simply check to be certain everyone on the streetcar or bus has paid the fare. Most people purchase passes in advance.<br />
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Now in Edyta's words through Radomir as translator: <br />
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I had an exhibition with my artists from the Goldenline, in April in the Museum of Technology and Communication in Szczecin. Three antique streetcars were at my disposal. In one of them a film was projected. A combination of music, pictures and words. In the other one, with beautiful wooden seats, I made a poetry installation. The topic was imposed upon us, and it was to be about communication. I came up with an idea of presenting poems-letters. I hung some of them on ropes, and the rest I scattered throughout the whole streetcar in colourful envelopes. The letters were addressed accordingly to the content of the poem inside. Sometimes in a funny way, sometimes seriously, e.g. Citizen Man, Pavement Street, Town. The letters went afterwards to Sieraków, to the gallery „W remoncie” where they were hung on wooden poles.<br />
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For the third streetcar I came up with a poetic spectacle. The idea was that I entered the vehicle as a ticket inspector and gave poems-fines to the people watching the spectacle. The fines varied: from quasi-real – for not having a ticket, to peculiar – e.g. for having too many wishes – this one went to the director of the museum where the event was held, and he liked it very much. During the performance I shifted to the role of a postman, as if acknowledging that being a ticket inspector is an unpleasant job, and started giving poems-letters. As usual, Radomir composed and performed himself the music for the spectacle. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih73tqq_QBhBVJSe-nYxJqJw15JMI77sZYcaVO1ydS4QbI-QCi9IQybQa6sIXrSmXiPNR8sb9_eyJ_9X8Lq_sEDruZkYPD_PQm9K0Xsq3Zls1vlQ5K6_ZABa4dRaC3tOXxvD-z/s1600/Edyta+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fba="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih73tqq_QBhBVJSe-nYxJqJw15JMI77sZYcaVO1ydS4QbI-QCi9IQybQa6sIXrSmXiPNR8sb9_eyJ_9X8Lq_sEDruZkYPD_PQm9K0Xsq3Zls1vlQ5K6_ZABa4dRaC3tOXxvD-z/s320/Edyta+1.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edyta & Radomir</td></tr>
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